A Life Beyond Love
by Matrix6241
Summary: The Family Forgotten story continues ten years after... really hard to write summary, please R&R Rating due to violence and language FINISHED
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own any content relating to X-men or Marvel or even DC Comics, I do on the other hand own Jack my created character.

A/N: This takes place five years after the end of Family Forgotten.

Prologue 

...It had been twelve hours since we arrived here at Bayville county medical and I was growing anxious simply waiting for someone to tell me how she was doing. I sat up from my seat and walked over to the restrooms and took a stall, sitting down I started to play with my image inducer hoping I could figure out what was causing it to glitch and sputter every odd time now and again. Giving it a bit of a smack I left the stall and returned back to the seats in the waiting room. From there I sat and waited until finally a doctor had returned from the delivery room. As she approached me her face seemed dark and disappointed which led me to believe that something was wrong

"So how did it go in there Doc?" I asked her.

"We'll it hard to say, but I have some good news and bad news," she told me directing me to take a seat.

"Ok what is the good news?"

"The good news is that you are now the proud father of a baby girl," She told me placing a hand on my shoulder. "Now the bad news is that your wife is bleeding."

"What?" I asked confused.

Then with a sigh she began, "somewhere during her natural birth the child must have squirmed or moved about in some direction because it tore her uterus and we are not sure if the bleeding will stop or not."

"But isn't there something that you can do about it, can't you go in surgically and then simply stitch her up!" I asked growing more and more concerned.

"Yes in a normal situation we would go in and stitch her up, but you have to look at the timeframe in which we would have to do this. Your wife has been in a tough labor for nearly 12 hours and that has worn her down incredibly. To put her under the knife right now would be suicide, say we do the operation, she gets out and is left in her room. Now as the drugs start to wear off her body tries to fight more and more of the pain and can't do it so it basically puts her into a coma that she would most likely not wake up from." She explained.

"So you're saying that we can do nothing?!"

"Pretty much, all we can do is sit down and wait. You can go and talk to Catherine. It's your choice, but the sound of your voice will comfort her and ease things down a bit for her," the doctor told me leaving me there to think.

I walked down the hallway to the delivery room and took a glance through the window. There she lay, resting and calm as if nothing was wrong. I had to smile for even after all that fighting she still looked as beautiful as the day that I met her. I looked down and glanced at my watch for a second and as my gaze returned I noticed that she had felt my presence just beyond the room. Just then a nurse bumped my arm as she walked into her room holding a syringe that most possibly contained a painkiller of some sort. I took this as my queue to enter the room. Pulling up a chair I took my place beside her and her hand into mine.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her.

"Really tired and sore," she told me turning her head to look into my eyes. "Where's my husband?"

"What?" I questioned.

"Honey you don't need that thing" she told me reaching for my wrist and turning off the image inducer. "There he is," she said slowly placing her hand on my face.

I placed my hand on hers to simply hold it there, I didn't want to lose that touch she had, her fine and fair skin made the contrast to my rough blue fur. Out of the entire evening the waiting stirred me the most for I didn't know if she would make it or not. My hopes were for the best, Kitty was a strong woman, and if anyone could fight this to win it would be her. It was then that the doctor passed back into the room holding a chart.

"Now Mrs. Howlett I want to run another test so..." she paused taking a glimpse at me.

"Don't worry Doc it's only me, just give me a sec to turn my image inducer back on," I explained pressing a small button on my wristwatch.

Just like that my old face had returned and I looked like normal again. "You're not human." She said backing up a bit.

"No, I am human but I'm also a mutant, so if you wouldn't mind," I advised getting up from my seat. "I'll just be outside alright honey."

"Sure," she told me looking back to the doctor.

It took all of five minutes and she had returned and brought me the news. "It isn't looking good, the bleeding hasn't stopped and she is accepting Iv fluid that much easier and at a higher rate. I guess all that you can do is make it easier for her, stay with her and talk to her," she explained.

Turning around I made my way back into her room and took my place back at her side, she looked over and smiled at me "don't cry, I know it will hurt but I will always love you." she told me looking back up at the ceiling.

I took her hand and held it letting my tears touch the floor, "I love you Kitty," I spoke as I heard a long exhale like a sigh.

I looked up to see a small tear roll from her eye and her warmth slowly and quietly begin to fade. It was at that point that I knew she had left me. My wife and my love were gone. It was there that I cried and held her close while the nurse just sat and watched from the door.


	2. Chapter 1 : Life shall go on

A Life Beyond Love

Chapter 1: Life shall go on

(Ten Years Later)

It was a bright summer's day as I awoke to find the sun shining through the window, cascading inward filling my bedroom. I slowly sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes, then proceeded to bind up my long mane into a single ponytail. After grabbing some clothes I made my way downstairs and into the kitchen only to find that there had been some breakfast already made. There was tuna sandwiches and bacon and eggs set out, along with a jug of milk and some fruit. Poking my head into the living room I found the culprit sitting on the couch enjoying the tv, she was sitting there and I could just see the tips of her pointy ears above the edge of the couch.

"Good morning Kate" I told her.

"Morning Dad," she replied going back to her food as her tail swayed lightly from side to side.

"By the way thanks for breakfast honey," I said heading back to the kitchen to eat.

"Your welcome, by the way do you have to work today?" she asked coming to drop off her dishes.

"Yes I do, but I only have three appointments today so I should be back before three."

"Ok, so you'll be able to get me from Ms. Price's place then. Maybe early this time?" she asked.

"Yeah I guess I could," I told her looking at the clock. "Oh, gotta go, love ya honey. Ms. Phillips will be around in about an hour so be good alright."

"Bye Daddy," she said waving as I left the door.

From there I went off to my office five blocks from my apartment. For those of you that don't know me my name is Jack Howlett and I am a mutant. My father John Howlett a.k.a Wolverine is one of the most feared mutants in the world sharing with me an adamantium skeleton and healing factor. I have a physical mutation that has left me in the appearances of a large blue toned wolf, which out of sheer coincidence was my code name at that time. Sixteen years ago I found my father, I was chased out of my mountain home in the Rockies of Canada and out of fear I headed for Xavier's institute for the Gifted in Bayville New York. It was there that I not only found my father but also the love of my life. Her name was Catherine Pride and she was a student enrolled at the school, her and I fell in love and got married after a year of being together. Her and I continued to live at the mansion for four years until we went on our own. After a year we found that we were pregnant and we were going to have a daughter. Her labor with Kate was hard and long but she did it, unfortunately there were complications and due to internal bleeding and she passed away. This left me with Kate and so I moved the two of us to Gotham City where I knew that I would be able to work and raise her. To look at it I haven't really had to work, for my family's estate fund is quite large and I have full access to it, as does my father. But I choose to because if I didn't I get bored real quickly and that isn't good. Out of all things I chose to sit behind a desk and plunk away on a keyboard all day designing artwork and little portfolios for a cosmetics company named Hidare industries. They're not my sole contributor however, I also prefer to do freelance consulting. I have to admit I have quite the nice position because I only work when I have appointments and usually that means three or four a day but it can lead to as many as twenty all tightly packed together and short. But that is the life I choose to live and you know for all it's worth I really enjoy myself. And that is how I met my daughter's babysitter, she was a former employee for Hidare in their art department, but was fired for apparently missing a due date on a fouled project. Anywho, she had some friends that told me that she would be able to do some small work and I gave her a call. It went from there and she was thrilled to have Kate over and soon enough Kate was almost there everyday always eager to spend time with her.

So today I had three appointments and one of the names intrigued me, the initials were B.W. and he was supposed to be here any moment so I decided to pick up and organize a bit. Just as the last bit of garbage hit the rim of the basket a light knock at the door could be heard.

"Come in," I instructed taking a seat behind my desk.

From there the door opened and a mid-height man dressed in a very expensive suit happened through, holding a briefcase and his cap. I stood up to shake his hand as he introduced himself.

"Good day Mr. Howlett my name is Bruce Wayne, owner and CEO of Wayne Enterprises."

"Nice to meet you Mr. Wayne and what can I do for you today?" I asked him.

From there he brought out a briefcase that contained some rough art work, "I would like you to have a look at these and tell me what you think," he noted passing them across the desk into my hands.

"Well, from this it looks to do quite well, the layout of the text and the addition of the graphics is a nice touch, but I would have the color changed to something lighter like a grey backing or something similar to that. Going with a slightly lighter color will help draw the text to the reader's eye," I explained to him handing him the posters.

"Wonderful, I'm glad my boys in marketing didn't fuck up this time," he told me closing his briefcase.

"May I be so bold as to ask why you came to talk to me?" I questioned resting my large arms on my desk.

"What do you mean?"

"Well my standard clientele will bring me about five or so ads and even then it isn't the CEO who talks to me either it's their dinner maid interns that do that, so what would you really like to talk to me about?" I questioned leaning back a bit.

From there he just smiled, "here's the thing, you head up here as a marketing advisor, as of an hour from now I will have fired my present head of marketing. So in other words I was wondering if you wouldn't mind having the job. You will see a 50% wage increase and your own flexible hours, most of which you can simply work out of your own home. How does that sound?"

"Well right now that sounds much better but I will still have to think about it, because I still have to factor my daughter into the mix...How about this I give you a call in about two weeks and we can go from there."

"Why so long? He asked.

"I'll probably make a choice by the end of the day but I can then use the time to tie up loose ends and be prepared for the outcome of my decision," I explained rising from my chair to once again shake his hand.

"Sounds reasonable I hope to hear from you," he finished shaking my hand and leaving the room.

It was from there that the day just seemed to fly by, and to tell you the truth I wasn't sure what it was, but it felt good. Before I knew it the clock had struck three and I was clear to leave. Grabbing my things I caught the next elevator and I was on my way home. My home is about five or so blocks from the Hidare tower and that makes transport easy because I don't need to rely on a taxi for assistance. Ms. Price's apartment however was on the North end of the tower about three blocks up so that meant that would have to change and then go over to Ms. Price's in order to pick up Kate. It may take longer but you have to think that at least you're not walking eight to ten blocks in a full office suit.

Quickly jogging up the steps to her apartment door, I gave a quick knock and a young woman's face appeared from through the crack.

"Good afternoon Patience I came to take Kate off your hands, I got off earlier today so I figured we might go do something while the sun was still up," I told her as she opened the door right up.

"Well sure thing Jack she's just around here somewhere...Kate your dad's here to come and get you!" she called out and then from around the corner she came holding her day bag and coat.

"Ready to go kiddo?" I asked her taking her bag and coat.

"Sure thing," she replied taking her place at my side.

"Good, well thanks again patience, we'll be seeing each other again soon enough."

"Alright, have a great day Jack and you to Kate," she said before heading back into her apartment.

Just as she closed the door and I was about to leave I caught the odd scent of a feline but then again it just could have been Kate, figuring my mind was playing tricks I should it off again like I had so many times before, it always seemed to show up right before Patience's door. It must have been my mind. Kate and I went from there out to the Zoo where we walked around and watched us oddly, it was as if they knew who we really were under these image inducers. It was more so when we walked by the wolf exhibit and they were all anxious to meet me and my guest. Just for Kate's amusement I let out a low and severely muffled howl that made them lie down and simply look up at me, showing a sign of obedience. Aside from just dinking around we did nothing else for the rest of the day and it was soon nightfall before we reached home. I was stepping up just to put my key into the door when something caught my eye, a dark figure leaping across the roof tops and moving about. Still holding Kate on my back I simply took her to her room and lay her to bed. Then after discarding my shirt and pants for a pair of shorts, I ridded myself of the image inducer and stepped into the evening Gotham air.


	3. Chapter 2: First Encounter, First Impres...

A Life Beyond Love

Chapter 2: First encounter, fist impression, to say the least

I was curious as to whom that dark figure was leaping across my home like that, it appeared to be large and bulky, but moved quick enough that most wouldn't see it. Leaping to the roof I noted the large claw marks on the roofing tar, showing both power and weight. I knelt down to have a quick whiff and found the scent to resemble a canine's, this intrigued me even more as I leapt after it in pursuit.

The tracks were scattered left and right up and down and it seemed to me, either this creature was drunk or that it didn't do well trying to coordinate at high speeds. Of course this only gave me a greater challenge as I quickly found the trails ending halting just short of a smashed window with a small trace of blood on it. Taking another whiff I was surprised to find that there were two blood scents this time, the dark canine was there and then there was a faint feline scent in there as well. He was cut but the other was most likely scratched. Listening closely I could hear a fight taking place, animal bellows were countered by the obvious struggle of a woman. Making haste I dropped in through the window and ended up coming between the two of them.

"Am I interrupting something?" I asked as he struck at my chest. "I take that as a yes."

Slashing at me again I backed up and dodged it, only to ball a fist and drill him right in the snout sending him flying back against the concrete wall that lay behind him. I then watched as he got up and decided to take a run for it, my face that is, and again I caught him. I this time used my claws and slashed him across the chest leaving deep four deep gouges that soon began to bleed. Falling back to the floor he began to writhe and whimper like a young pup who got pricked by barbed wire or something. It was then to my astonishment as the wounds began to fill and the guy started to calm down and slowly began to get up.

"What the fuck, can this guy heal on command or something?" I questioned.

"He's a werewolf, they can regenerate as long as the heart keeps beating and not too much blood is lost by the wound," the mysterious woman told me.

"How do you know about that?" I asked.

"These things have been tracking me for a while and the way that they acted seemed kind of fictional like something that I had read in a novel and sure enough the wolfman commeth," she informed me. "But I should really be going so, catch ya around blue boy."

"Wait! I never got your name."

"The name's Catwoman and just for the record you might be?" she suggested ready to leap upwards toward the glass.

"Wolf, my friends call me wolf," I replied grabbing the werewolf by the neck.

"Sure thing pup, ya know thanks for the help but your barkin up the wrong tree if you think the whole damsel in distress thing is gonna get you laid."

"Wasn't even thinking about it, you were just someone in trouble that's all," I told her whipping the creatures head into the concrete of the wall making a rarely heard snap followed by a squishy mushy sound. Considering that the body went limp I would have taken it that I killed it. "Whoops."

"Don't worry about that there's plenty more where that came from," she said leaping out of the window and out of sight.

"Shit, oh well, if I see her again I hope we'll be able to chat some more," I told myself leaving the scene as the faint whine of police sirens filled the air around the area. Leaping up and out I headed for home.

Morning was dull and I ended up spending most of it trying to wake up, but I was happy because Janice my secretary told me that there were no appointments for the day and tomorrow would be Kate's first day back to school. I was just thanking whoever for giving me the strength and the wallet to shop for a ten year old girl with social issues. She needed everything but a house to store it all in. I should look at it this way there could be more expensive things in the world that a child could desire but thankfully she doesn't have an eye for any of them. I send her to a private school, which is conveniently located on route with the office and not far from Patience's place. I have found so far that the private school has been easier for me to keep her mutation hidden in, there are less people and that mean there is a less chance that people will see through the holographic projection. Of course I will have to start thinking about junior high soon but that won't be for a few more years yet, thankfully that's a whole new set of problems.

The day seemed to blow by and soon enough we had finished our shopping and were still good enough for a stroll through the city for a bit. I would say we were about ten or twelve blocks out when I heard the squeal of rubber come from just ahead of me and then a large crash as smoke and flames began to erupt from the hood of a car that had collided with another on the street corner. As the crowds began to gather I noticed that there was still a younger male inside with her head on the wheel. I pulled Kate into the alley with me and instructed her to head to the roof where she wouldn't be seen and then I could help the people in the cars. Quickly I removed my shirt and my image inducer discarding my socks and shoes.

"Outta my way!" I called out darting through the crowd and shocking many as I headed for the wreck.

They were bound good and I only really had time to get the passengers out. As I approached the one car the conscious passenger started freaking out and struggling to get away. "Just stay calm, I'm hear to get you out alright, just listen to my voice and don't struggle. What's your name?"

"Rebecca," she answered.

"Alright Rebecca, this man here is he your husband?"

"No, it's my brother, is he dead?"

"No, he's just unconscious," I told her taking hold of the door and ripping it from it's hinges.

The car was fairly crushed but we wasn't stuck so that made my task a lot easier, once he was out she came out the same way and both of us moved over to across the street where I could lay him down. He was beat up but breathing so I took that as a good sign, just then a guy come running from the other side of the crowd.

"Hey we got a woman out of the other car but he kid is still in the back seat and none of us can get to her."

"Nuff said, you gonna be alright with your brother?"

"Yeah I think so," she told me.

"Good, I'll be right back," I told her. "SOMEBODY CALL AN AMBULANCE!!!"

Rushing to the other car there was a child of no more than two in the car seat. Grabbing the door I ripped it off and pulled her out. It was then, just as I turned, that I heard it. It was the distinctive sound of a line fire and that only meant that the flame was heading up the fuel line and into the tank. It was one of those moments that gave you only enough time to say two words "Oh fuck!"

The heat from the blast engulfed me and the young one in my arms, but I kept her close, not to let the harsh lick of the flames touch her soft skin. It actually rocked me hard enough to knock me on my knees and left me a bit dazed, that was of course until that chunk of steel wrapped around and cut me down that center of my eye. There were people screaming and running, the sirens of the fire trucks and the ambulances wailed away. But as the smoke cleared, there was I, battered and bruised with a chunk of steel sticking out of my shoulder, but I was there and so was she, the woman's daughter I had left to save. Two paramedics came up and one took the child from my arms as the other brought me a blanket.

"You know the world has few people like you," he told me eyeing the steel in my shoulder.

"It must be the hair," I replied chuckling a bit. "Oh don't worry about the metal just pull it out and I'll be fine. But now that you're here you wouldn't mind pulling it out would you?"

"We better have a doctor remove it," he tried guiding me to my feet.

"Fine I'll do it," I told him pulling the four inches of imbedded steel from my fur coated flesh. "Owwwwooooooohhhhhh," I howled dropping it to the ground.

"Holy shit it closed up," he told me looking a bit shocked.

"Told ya, I'm a fast healer, just help the others I really need to get back to my kid,"

So the firemen put out the cars, or what was left of them, and I proceeded back to the alley from whence I came. Taking a quick peak for Kate I was shocked to find that my midnight friend Catwoman decided to join in on the fun as well. Quickly and quietly I gathered my things and leapt onto the roof, where I met a concerned Kate (without her image inducer) and a sassy feline.

"Daddy are you alright?" she asked jumping into my arms and feeling my back.

"Yeah I'm fine darlin'," I replied setting her on my shoulders.

"So, ms. Catwoman what are you doing here?"

"Oh nothing much, heard a crash and got curious that's all," she explained walking along the edge of the roof. "I'll let you two be, see ya around pup."

"Sure thing."

It was then just as she fell out of sight that Kate got my attention, "Did she call you a pup?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"Well I don't think being 116 years old makes you a pup still. That's a geezer's age."

"Yeah you watch it, I can still run circles around you," I told her picking her up.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah babe."

"How long will you live?" she asked looking me in the eye.

"I don't know, Grandpa is still goin and he's older than I am. Man, he'll be 140 this year. But I guess I won't know until one of us croaks, eh?"

"Yeah I guess so," she answered getting comfortable as I began to leap from roof to roof on our path home.


	4. Chapter 3: Things Go Bump In the Night

A Life Beyond Love

Chapter 3: Things go bump in the night

It was getting late so I sent Kate off to bed and I figured that I should really do the same. I made my way to my room and began to clean up in front of the mirror. Brushing my teeth and cleaning my fur I noticed that the accident today left me a little gift. The metal that wrapped around and batted me in the face left a light yet noticeable scar that passed over my eye even though of course that my eye had healed completely.

"Well isn't that lovely," I told myself feeling it over. "At least it doesn't look that bad."

Shutting off the lights I was just ready to crawl into bed when a dark figure flew past the window and seemed to be in quite the hurry. Darting outside I caught a small glimpse of it before it disappeared onto the rooftops out of my sight. Thinking nothing much of it, I was just about to retire when I heard a cry for help. Putting on a pair of shorts I left the house and ran toward the direction of the continuing cries. I was almost considering taking up a new address for if this continued like this for some time I wasn't going to get any sleep. I mean I find helping people important but if this kind of stuff is going to hang around my place then forget it. I leapt up onto the rooftops and made my way in the general direction and looking down into an alley I found them. There were two attackers and one lonely victim. The two older males held guns and were dressed in black, but they were a little more complex than simple muggers. In fact their clothing looked quite expensive which baffled me as to why they would attack a young girl that appeared no more than twenty. Dropping down in between them the initial response was of course shock.

"Shit, another liken take him down," the one told the other as he pulled the trigger unloading three rounds into my chest.

"What the fuck is this?" I questioned finding a silver like substance oozing from my wounds as they began to immediately heal.

"What!? This cannot be, they are allergic to silver nitrate, why is he not dead yet?" The one demanded of the other taking a few steps back.

"Oh I get it you think I'm a werewolf, well I'm sorry to disappoint you but you got the wrong species boy and you are asking for a world of hurt right now," I told them beginning to advance on where they stood.

"Retreat, retreat," the one ordered as they fled out of the alley and into a parked car across the street.

Turning back I found the girl standing up and looking me over carefully. "You're not hurt?"

"Of course not, like I said I'm not a liken, I'm a mutant," I told her grabbing a rag from a garbage bin and wiping the silver ooze from my chest.

"Well liken or not I should thank you, my name is Luna."

"I'm Wolf," I told her taking her small hand into my own.

"Nice to meet you, Wolf." She replied. "I'm shocked, for being a mutant you resemble us likens quite well, just your facial structure and your fur keep you apart from us."

"I've seen your kind, I fought one not too long ago, he lost, I hope it wasn't anyone you knew," I said to her leaving the alley.

"I noticed that you heal as we do as well, another mutation?"

"Yes, it's has kept me going for some time now. You heal quickly as well do you not?" I asked bending down onto all fours.

"Yes we do, it grants us immortality, that is as long as we stay away from silver."

"Figured. I find it odd that for as long as I have walked the Earth I have only in the past ten years decided to really raise a family."

"Really? And why is that?" she asked following me down the street. "You can't be that old."

"I will turn 117 here this year and my father will turn 140 this year as well. He and I share similar mutations. Looking back now it had become a dominant trait in my bloodline and I wasn't surprised when my daughter was born with it as well," I told her rounding a corner.

"That's neat, but I must be off, I have things to take car of. Things with other likens. But if I see you again I'll be sure to pull you aside for a chat. Catch ya around Wolf," she said to me turning and walking in the other direction.

"Sure thing, see you Luna," I finished standing up and heading home, thinking that a light sprint wouldn't hurt.

I was glad that I was only a couple blocks out that made the trip not only shorter but less people would see me and since my rescue I guess didn't matter anymore but oh well. Slowing down and walking the last block, I rounded the corner and of all people she was there.

"Evening pup, been keeping busy?" she asked me.

"You know, I was simply going home to go to bed and sleep the rest of the night problem free you know but something always has to happen," I told her grabbing a seat on a park bench.

"Awww, poor pup got no energy left," she coaxed bending down to look me in the eye.

"When you have a day job as myself it helps to have rest," I told her, but then something odd caught my nose.

The scent was thin and bold and of course I had only picked that up from one location, Patience's place, just outside her door and from within her apartment. "There is so much to do at night though, go to clubs, bars are comfy. You know the whole touring bit," she said.

"Me? Go to clubs, I don't think so Patience, I could clear a club faster than a good headliner could fill it," I replied knowing that my little name trick could be a long shot but I had to admit that her body fit that profile, as did her scent.

"We'll just have to get you something better to wear than fur, eh Jack?" she noted coyly correcting my look of shock.

"How long have you known?" I questioned.

"Oh not long but having Kate out of makeup seemed to be a dead giveaway," she told me taking a seat next to me on the bench. "Come on we have to get out a bit, so go upstairs and grab some clothes and then we can head out and grab a drink alright."

"Man o man things are just going bloody weird this week, I'll be back."

"Oh take your time, I say your out of there in 15 min max," she noted leaning against the door to my home.

Sure enough I was out of there in no time at all, I dressed casually and fixed on my image inducer. I bound my hair and stepped outside where she waited for me, still in her outfit. "What? You not going to change."

"I'm easy to change," she said pulling off her mask and claws. Unclipping her whip she set everything just inside my door and walked back out on the step to meet me. "There, finished. What do you think?"

"Fine with me, where do you want to go?" I asked walking just to the corner of the block and calling for a taxi.

"Oh I don't know, but I just noticed for all the money you make how come you don't drive a car?"

"I don't know, I guess I have no need for one. That's why I own a bike," I told her forgetting about the taxi and guiding her back to my humble abode.

Just off to the side of my front entrance there was a wider door that appeared to belong to a blacksmith's shop. Opening the lock the doors swung open and before us sat my gem. It was my soft tail chopper that my dad had gotten for me those few years ago. Walking up she ran her fingers over the curves, admiring the way that the bike flowed. It seemed to fly just sitting there.

"I think this is better than a taxi don't you?" I asked.

"Oh god this is like sex for the eyes," she replied sitting on it and gripping the bars.

Looking at her sit on it, she seemed kind of small. I remembered when I changed, I had to stretch the frame and recurve the backbone so that it would handle my extra size. Aside from that she was one and the same, just the way I got her. Taking the key from the hook on the wall I turned her over and she roared to life. The strait pipe exhaust echoed loudly against the wall of the small room. I handed her a cap and she took her place behind me placing her feet on the rails. The evening was quiet as we coasted about, not too much traffic and the lights seemed to be in our favor. We rolled around the last corner before coming too a stop just in front of a club called "The Nite Light". She hopped off and I locked it up placing the keys in my pocket before joining her at the doorman. He was 6'5 and probably weighed in at around 250, stocky and trim. Of course I was still bigger standing an even 7 foot and weighing in at a clean 300. Don't question my weight it's all in my bones, that metal ain't the lightest shit in the world y'know. She gave him a seductive glance and I gave him a death threat stare with my real eyes and of course we were let into the fine establishment. Just beyond the double doors the music was loud and the people were jumpin', lights were goin' and there was a full bar to boot. To tell you the truth I don't think I had been in a better club, of course I hadn't been to many. My past experience with a club would have been a biker bar just outside Rocky Mountain House. Not a bad place, you just had to watch for flying body parts and weaponry. Taking a seat at the bar she ordered a White Russian and I ordered a Double Black Jack on the rocks.

"So how long have you been like that?" she asked me.

"Like what?" I replied.

"You know, furry."

"Oh, for about fifteen years now."

"Really, so do you change willingly to the furry thing or what?"

"No, that is what I really look like," I told her taking a sip of my drink.

"Then what is all of this, do you shave and grow fur overnight?"

"What you see is a holographic image that is being projected to conceal my real form. In actuality this is how I looked before I became furry," I explained.

"You mean the tail, the eyes, the whole bit..."

"The whole bit."

"Wow, wait...wait...wait what about Kate. How can you look like this and she look like that?"

"I am a mutant, and so is she. Our mutations occurred at random. I have noticed however there is one that remains quite constant within our bloodline though. My father has an accelerated healing factor that has kept him looking quite young for the past 140 years. I have the trait and as does Kate. I first noticed it when she was messing around with scissors and she cut herself, no more than 10 seconds later her body had sealed the cut and healed without scarring," I told her.

"What does it heal?"

"Everything, I can't get sick, I don't need a doctor, I don't even age. Hell I still look like I'm in my thirties."

"You said like in your thirties...how old are you?" she asked.

"I will be 117 this year," I replied taking a good take on my drink.

"Holy shit! ... Oops did I say that too loud," she stated catching the attention of a few people while I ordered another taking my lead she did the same.

The night drew on and the club never slowed, we sat and talked mostly about our lives and I guess I gave her the whole story. I told her about the mansion and my father and the weapon x programs. She told me about her abilities and how they came to her not long before we met. We talked more about Kate and a bit about Kitty, she told me about her initial run in with the cops and dismal life before her untimely death and unexpected rebirth. I was shocked to say that for all of our differences we were utterly the same. The only other person that I had ever really gotten to know to this kind of degree was Kitty, it opened my eyes to what I really loved about her and what I was truly missing from her. We sat there, it was one of those awkward moments where no one had to say anything, but unfortunately it was snapped out back into reality as I heard a gunshot and a bottle smashed open just inches from my head. People ran screaming as I grabbed Patience and dove over the bar counter.

"What the hell?" she asked.

"Someone just shot at me, that's what," I told her poking my head up and taking a head count.

There were four of them all with rotwilers and all of them packing guns. Three men and a woman. "Come out liken, we want a challenge."

"Did he just call you a liken, what the fuck is a liken?" she asked as I removed my shirt and image inducer.

"That would be the other name for a werewolf, so far I take it they are vampires. Obviously they don't like likens, this might be the fact that I helped one this evening and they want a little payback," I rapidly said, doing another headcount.

"I'm gonna help you," she told me getting ready to jump over.

"No, and for two reasons. One you don't have your mask or whip or even claws for that matter, and two I don't think that you can take a few rounds in the chest and not be rushed to hospital."

"True enough. Just don't get yourself killed," she told me looking me in the eye.

"Now you're just starting to sound like my mother... in law," I replied standing up from behind the counter.

"Ah there you are, come out here so we can see you," one said showing me out onto the dance floor.

Walking out there were people all about hiding in corners and such trying to keep away from the few of us in the center of the room. Looking beyond the initial four of them there were two at the door blocking the exit.

"You brought a full troop, I wouldn't have thought that you wanted me dead that badly. Shit all I did was help one woman from a couple of your goons," I told them.

"You'll be sorry for that," he said releasing two of the four dogs.

The two dogs jumped up at me, catching both of their heads I cracked them together and let their lifeless bodies drop to the floor at my feet. As the other two looked at me I let out a low and long growl leaving them to whimper and tuck their tails between their legs.

"Get him," he said as three ran up.

All of them packing blades, I grabbed the first arm in reach snapping it and them snapping his neck. The woman and man left began their attack as I grabbed the man's blade and the woman drove hers into my back. Bellowing in discomfort I back far to the other end of the room. The man's blade was cutting deep into my hand as he grabbed another and drove it deep into my abdomen. Using my free hand I gripped his neck and tossed him upwards breaking his neck on the ceiling. Again the woman came, this time I made it her last as I batted across the face sending her into a concrete pillar that upon impact blew apart and left her dead lying in the rubble.

"You'll pay for that," he told me removing his coat and exposing the two diamond tipped whips he had laced around his arms.

Pulling them off he began cracking the air and tearing bits and bits from my body every time he drew a cut. The blood began to trickle as he cut crosses and streaks up and down my chest and face. Watching them move I grabbed the whips and yanked him towards me, grabbing his face and simultaneously smashing it into the floor at my feet crushing the back of his skull.

"I think he needs a doctor," I told the four at the door tossing them the bodies.

They hurriedly picked up their fallen and left. Oddly enough the first one to come out of hiding was Patience. Walking over she glanced at my battered body, with a look of concern.

"You gonna be alright?" she asked as the cuts in my chest began to heal up.

"Yeah give me a minute, oh would you mind?" I asked pointing to the blade in my back. "Even if I beller don't stop just keep on pulling alright."

"Sure," she replied as she took hold of the long knife and pulled hard.

It was plenty deep as I couldn't help but whimper a bit as it came out. Taking a knee she came in front of me and took hold of the other one. "You good?"

"Go for it," I told her. "Ahhhhhh!" I said as the second and lengthy blade was drawn out.

"Oh sorry, sorry," she said dropping it on the floor.

"Don't worry, I've been through worse," I told her standing back to my feet.

All around me I could hear people mumble stuff about me, mostly from the accident that had happened recently which I helped in. I wasn't too concerned though, they knew that I wasn't going to hurt them and that I hoped for was enough. Looking behind me Patience had returned with my shirt and image inducer. Putting them on I looked back to normal some of the people including the manager had a few words to say.

"You know you big son of a bitch, someone is going to have to pay for all of this," he told me pointing a finger at all of the damage.

"Yeah I know, how much will it take to fix all of this 10,000?" I assessed.

"Hah! A high end club like this try more like 20," he yelled.

"Alright, can I give you a cheque now for it or should I come back tomorrow with cash?" I questioned.

"What? You can't tell me that you have all this money just lying around."

"Yeah, I've got several hundred million dollars sitting around just in the bank right now, it would be nothing to simply cut you a cheque," I told him digging out my wallet and signing one over to him.

The man was speechless as I simply walked out of the door and let him be on his way. Patience and I got on the bike and rode off for home. Rounding the last corner I brought the bike into the little garage and shut off the engine. I placed the key and helmets back on the wall and locked the doors behind us on the way out.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot," I replied walking up to the front door to my house.

"With all that money, you still work and you don't have a huge home, and you don't even own a car. Why live like that?" she asked following me up the steps.

"Well I decided to do it for Kate's sake, I didn't want her to become a woman that had a silver spoon stuck in her mouth all her life. I want her to lean what it is to work and to become successful. And I also have no real desire to have a large amount of luxuries. I mean I lived in the bush for well over a century before making my way to the mansion here in the states," I told her unlocking the door and stepping inside. "Do you want to come in for a bit?"

"Sure why not," she replied making her way in.

We stepped in and I took off my image inducer, taking the bands out of my hair I set them in a bowl on the table next to the door. "Coffee, tea, or...milk?" I asked heading to the kitchen.

"Oooo, don't tempt me," she replied. "Milk will be quite fine."

"Make yourself at home," I told her bringing the cups into the living room.

"Oh, don't mind if I do," she said while I flipped through the channels for a good movie.

Seeking out a nice quiet one we relaxed a bit and sat back to enjoy it. I was soon eyeing the clock as it struck half past two and our film was just about ending, looking down I noticed that she had fallen asleep placing her head on my chest and lightly purred away. Clicking off the movie I placed my arm around her as she unknowingly took it and wrapped it around her. I then too shut my eyes and quietly dozed off to sleep.


	5. Chapter 4: Silent Attack

A life Beyond Love

Chapter 4: Silent Attack 

It was 7:00 am as I found the morning sun creeping through my living room window. I lightly shifted my weight and grabbed the tv remote and looked for the news. Of course there was as usual the robberies and the killings and all of the other bull shit that happened over the course of an evening but nothing about me and that I was relieved about. Looking down I seen that Patience was still asleep and I figured that it would be best not to disturb her. Lightly shifting out of my rut in the couch I quietly made my way into the kitchen and began on breakfast. I fried up some eggs and made a bit of toast and followed all that up with some tuna salad for the toast. Hearing footsteps I tuned back to see who it was.

"Morning dad," Kate said sitting down at the table.

"Morning kiddo, sleep well?"

"Yeah," she replied.

"That's good."

"Hey dad."

"What?"

"Why is Patience sleeping on the couch?" she asked.

"Her and I went out last night and she just stayed the evening," I told her taking her a plate and a fork.

"Oh, but I heard the bike, you could have just given her a ride home though," she told me taking a fork full of food.

"Just eat your breakfast and don't worry about it," I told her as the lady of the moment walked into the room stretching as she went.

"Don't worry about what?" she inquired as I handed her a plate.

"Last night," I said.

"Oh, yeah he's right, nothing to talk about," she kind of mumbled as she spotted the tuna. "You're evil you know that."

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"You tempt me with food so I won't leave," she replied taking a hearty serving.

"Well it's actually one of Kate's favorites, you and her seem to have quite similar tastes," I told her grabbing a cup of coffee.

Sitting down I got a few bites through before I noticed Kate's ears perk, smiling I knew exactly what she heard. "Mail is here," she said walking off to retrieve it.

"You knew she was going to do that?" Patience asked me.

"Oh of course, my hearing isn't as sharp as hers is but I notice when she hears stuff like that either her ears will perk or she'll twitch. I just find it really amuzing to watch her do it," I told her as Kate returned with a handful of letters.

I began to sift through them and found one addressed from the institute, opening it up it was from my father. Turns out Xavier and Bruce Wayne were holding a fundraiser for local group homes for the homeless and mutants, he was wondering if I would attend.

"Who's it from dad?"

"It's from Grandpa, there is a fundraiser being held, for mutants and the homeless."

"Oh yeah, when is it?" Patience asked.

Looking over the letter, I found the date. "It's tonight at nine. Always like my father to do things the old way, I have really got to teach him how to use e-mail."

The two of them kind of chuckled. "Am I going dad?"

"Yeah I don't see why not. I know this might seem awkward but...would you mind attending Patience?" I asked her.

"Are you trying to ask me out on a date?" she questioned playfully.

"I'll buy the dress," I told her bluntly.

Fast as lightning she replied, "You're on."

Smiling I finished my breakfast. Afterwards Patience gathered her things and was about to exit the door when I brought something to her attention. "You know your outfit in the day looks kind of suspicious, I would recommend changing into something more casual."

"Well what did you have in mind?" she questioned.

"Well I still have a small amount of Kitty's clothes from before she died, let's have a look."

Moving upstairs I went to the closet within my room and in a small office box marked on the floor lay some of the last physical memories that I had of her. I decided to keep things like a couple of her dresses and her battle uniform from the X-men, I had to admit that I still had mine as well. There was her wedding dress and other things like the dress I proposed to her in. Let's just say that she wore it once and not for very long...it wasn't me it was her alright. She led the way and I was there for the ride... a very long ride. Digging to the bottom of the box I was met with a few common items and drew out a t-shirt and pair of jeans that I figured would fit her.

"Here try these, the shirt should fit but I don't know about the pants, Kitty wasn't exactly the largest person in the world."

"Are you suggesting that I'm fat?" she inquired.

"No, not at all, there is absolutely nothing wrong with your figure," I replied raising my arms in defense.

"Good, now is there a bath room or something that I can change in, or what?"

"How about the change curtain in the corner?" I suggested pointing to the far end of the room.

"That'll do."

Soon enough she was from behind the curtain and ready to go. We proceeded to a cab and found a local tailor that made absolutely everything from scratch. This was the same woman who made all of my suits, more specifically because of my huge frame. I remember when I first met her, I was a little apprehensive, considering that my image was a hologram and that she would be getting awfully close, but I was surprised to learn that she too was also a mutant, a telekinetic. Putting that aside she was eager to greet us.

"Ah Jack how nice to see you again, would you be needing the usual suit today. I hope one of mine hasn't worn out already," the older Asian woman mentioned breaking out her tape.

"No, I assure you Ms. Wong that everything is fine and that I actually need you to make an evening dress for me, well not me but for this young woman here," I told her pointing to Patience of course she looked at me funny mouthing the word young and then I mentioned the word one hundred and she shut up.

Quickly enough she guided Patience over to the mirror and began taking notes. "So what do you need this for anyway? Are you two doing something big?" she asked breaking out a pad and pen.

"No there is that function for mutants and the homeless that is going on tonight, Professor Xavier invited us for the evening," I told her taking a seat in an armchair.

"Oh really, I think that he and his X –men will make a fine addition to the evening," she noted taking the final tab. "Well there you go, any specific preferences?"

"We'll let's keep it about 1/3 the length of the thigh up from the knee and a mid cut chest with say string shoulder bands and a black shall type piece, just to lightly wrap around the shoulders," I told her leaving Patience in awe.

"You know I have to wear it," she told me giving me a stare.

"I know but I'm paying for it, so it has to look good."

"All black?" she asked.

"All black."

"Ooooh, now that will be sexy, she replied purring a bit.

"Easy Kitty were not done yet... Ms. Wong I'll be back later today to pick it up alright?"

"Sure thing, it will be on the counter," she told us walking into the back.

"What else do we need?" she asked me.

"Let's see, I think a diamond bracelet would be in order and a small chain for around your neck. Not to mention that we also have to take car of shoes," I told her guiding her out into the street.

"Man o man you're just going nuts with this one aren't ya."

"Is it wrong that I would like you to look your best?" I questioned.

"No but you still don't have to do this. I have stuff at home I could wear for the evening, not any of your stuff," she told me as we rounded a far street corner only to be confronted by a shoe store.

"Who said it was going to be for me, I don't cross dress, besides I think you will blow the doors off when you enter that room tonight," I told her as I could almost see the scenario being played out in her eyes. "Let's go."

From there the two of us went shopping and we bought stuff not only for this evening but for her home and for mine, I would have to roughly guess that I blew well over 10, 000 that afternoon and that was of course before the final tally on the dress. To tell you the truth I didn't care because she was happy and that was all that mattered. As we approached Ms.Wong's there was a boy of no more than 20 strolling up the walk. His skin was as pale as a ghost and filmy as if he was covered in sunscreen or something. The way he walked he didn't even see me as he ran right into me. Being taken back a bit he seemed to wake up form his daze...

"Oh sorry about that," he told me pulling the headphones from his ears, with that I just had to smile. "You know you hear the right tune and you just seem to leave the real world behind, again so sorry about that have a nice day."

"No problem, just choose you tunes better next time alright," I told him setting my hands on my hips checking for my wallet which remained still.

"Sure thing man, see ya around," he said as he took off down the street and around the far corner.

"That was weird," Patience said looking me over. "You all there, wallet, watch, kidneys."

"He must have been honest, maybe it was his music...ah never mind, no harm done, let's see this dress."

Moving in we were confronted by Ms. Wong and a gorgeous single piece that I thought was perfect. Patience, though before skeptical was relieved and a bit excited to try it on.

Of course Ms. Wong handed me the bill and I was glad to pay it as it came to a comfortable 600 dollars. Dialing up a limo service I arranged for a pickup at her place and at my own for us to arrive at the banquet around 8:45. It was from the tailor that we went our separate ways and we would see each other later that evening.

Soon that time had come and gone and as the limo pulled up I guided Kate inside and found Patience in the far corner sipping a tall glass of champagne. We both smiled as I shut the door and we were off to the party. Give or take about an hour and we had arrived, Just as the driver was about to open the door I and Kate removed out image inducers and I placed them neatly within my coat.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Patience asked holding my arm before I stepped out.

"This is for mutants, so why not show my true colors, let's go," I told her putting a smile on.

I stepped out of the car then Patience and finally Kate as we were greeted by a flurry of cameras and reporters eager to make the lead page story on the gala event. Letting Kate lead I took Patience's arm in mine as we made our way toward the doors. The doorman was calm and quiet, and simply asked us our name. "Howlett" was heard and we were let in. Inside there was a grand array of tables and platters and at the head of the room there was a stage with a podium and tables adjacent that as well simply filling the room.

"Glad you could make it Jack," said a voice from within my head.

"As am I professor, as am I," I told him turning to find the group of them. There was Hank, my father and Ororo, Scott and Jean and their young son, and Magnus with Wanda and Pietro at his side. As I was about to mention something a familiar sound caught my ear, as a small whoof repeated many times before I grabbed to the right of me blindly holding Kurt by the scruff of his neck. "Kurt please don't do that," I told him holding him there.

"Sure thing Jack," he replied as I set the young teleporter down.

"Oh, while you're all here I 'd like to introduce you to Patience Price, she has been helping me with Kate and has a few abilities of her own," I told them.

"As do we all," noted the professor just between the three of us catching her attention as they left.

"Is he?" she began.

"Yeah he is, he's a telepath, one of the strongest mutants on the planet. If he wanted to he could kill every being on this planet by simply concentrating," I told her moving on toward the tables.

"Has he always been in a chair?" she asked.

"No, during Vietnam he broke his back and severed his spinal chord, but it's not like he needs it though he's perfected astral projection within his guide lines."

"Wow," she noted as we got to our seat.

We sat, we ate, we enjoyed our own company and as the night drug on I began to feel awkward, it was as if I was on a rollercoaster that just wouldn't stop. It's not like my I was going to be sick it was just my gut felt like it wouldn't stop moving. I then took a few glasses of water and it seemed to go away. It was then that my father got up to the podium and began a surprising speech.

"I know tonight that we all have come to fundraise for not only our mutant brothers and sisters but for also those in need of a home, more often than not they are mutants themselves being cast out of their families or simply neglected. That is why I have decided to match Charles Xavier's donation of 10 million dollars from our family trust. I would like my son Jack to come up here and hand the cheque over if he wouldn't mind," he said as the light rolled over our table and I stood up.

I made my way over and met the foundation rep passed him the cheque and shook his hand, of course he had a few words to say. "First of all I would love to thank the Howlett family for their more than generous donation to the foundation."

It was then that the feeling came back and this time my heart started to burn and speed up. I then took a knee gripping my father's shoulder for support. "Whoa! Jack you alright there kiddo?"

"I don't think so dad," I told him gasping for breath. "I need a doctor, if I pass out get Patience to take Kate and come to the mansion with the rest of us."

"Sure thing son," he told me before turning his attention to the podium. "Uh, we need to get my son to a hospital quick."

"It's too far to New York Jack looks like we are going to have to do this here in Gotham." Xavier told me wheeling over from the table as I now lay on my back.

"Get Hank, he knows a lot about what went on before.

It was then that Patience and Kate came up to see me. "Daddy are you going to be alright?" she asked.

"I'm gonna be just fine alright, I want you to be close to Patience alright," I told her reaching into my coat. "Here honey take you inducer back and have it one before we leave alright."

It was then that an ambulance rolled up and the paramedics dashed through the door. They came up on stage and were surprised at what they found, but none the less they did their job picking my heavy ass off the floor and sitting me on a bed. Laying on the bed she gave me and air mask and a tweak of morphine, not enough to really make a difference but enough to take the edge off. My father crawled in with me and sat next to me making sure that I was alright. We wheeled around many corners before arriving at the hospital and I was rushed into the ER. Leaving me on a ventilator they drew blood and tissue samples before letting me rest.

Out of a dream state I awoke to find others in the room with me. To my left there was Kate and off to my right in the corner sat Patience alongside Ororo and my father. Looking back I noticed that Kate had been stirred awake and she was looking right at me.

"Hi there sweetheart," I told her putting my arm around her.

"Are you feeling any better daddy?" she asked crawling on the bed with me.

"A little but I got a ways to go," I replied obviously waking a few others as well. "Hi guys, so what was Hank's deduction?"

"We don't know he hasn't finished yet, but we might know soon enough," Ororo mentioned.

Speak of the devil, Hank strolled through the door in a lab coat with clipboard in hand. "Oh you're awake, guess that means I don't have to wake you. But here's what I know, it is an enzyme or similar to one that is disguising itself as lymphocytes in your blood. It is hiding and attacking your genetic mutations. From what I can tell it looks like it is attacking anything that resembles that of canine origin..."

"That kid..." I began a little short of breath.

"What kid? Hank asked.

"That kid outside the shop who ran into you, he must have been holding a syringe or something," Patience replied.

"He must have been working for the vampires thinking that I was a liken," I told him shaking my head in disbelief.

"What is a liken?" he asked.

"It's a werewolf, I'm not far from it so when I helped that one that was cornered in the alley that night they must have assumed that I was one of them," I explained. "That same evening they attacked the club that Patience and I were at looking to hunt me down."

"So if this is going to attack your wolf genetics it might revert you physical appearance as well," he suggested to me.

"Possibly but it shouldn't change my skeleton back, that is unless my body pulls a magic trick again and twists that adamantium around like it did last time," I replied catching Patience's attention.

"What do you mean adamantium, that is a metal right?"

"Yeah it is a metal. Both my father and myself are living guinea pigs, chosen because of out vast healing abilities. Many years ago our bones were laced with adamantium, when solidified the alloy is almost indestructible. Back just before Kitty and I married I was caught in an accident where my tail had to be removed and my spine needed metal work done. For some reason my genetics had a hiccup and new X-genes were developed from my stem cells. This outcome was changed a year later when a second accident happened with the machine from the rebirth project. It activated the dormant X-genes and I changed to what you see before you. In order for me to change my mutation stretched my skeleton and for some odd reason the metal stretched with it, which isn't right at all."

"Huh, so in other words you bent the rules applying to that metal and didn't know how you did it?" she asked.

"That's right. From what I take it my body can't fight it because it's hiding as lymphocytes right?"

"Yeah, it's as simple as that, your body doesn't recognize the threat and so can't do anything about it. So for you to fight it we need to find a way to tell your body that something is wrong, you need a vaccine," he told me.

"Well then start working on it I don't want to lose too much of myself in the process. "I told him as he promptly left the room. "I thank all of you for being so concerned but this looks like it could be for the long haul and I don't know how long this will take so I guess that, Dad you and Ororo can crash at home and if you don't mind, Patience, would you stay and keep watch over Kate as well?" I asked them.

"Just part time as usual?" she asked.

"No, just stay at my place, I won't be staying in my room so you can have it to yourself for the time being, dad and Ororo can take the guest room across the hall," I told her.

"Alright, you sure there is nothing you need yet?" she asked.

"No I think that I'll be fine for now."

"By daddy," Kate told me giving me a hug.

"See ya sweetheart," I told her giving her a kiss on the forehead.

They left and I relaxed as much as possible, the pain was dull but never ceasing so it was hard for me to remain comfortable. I just hoped the others wouldn't worry to much about me I've proven to be quite resilient.

It has now been a week and my body is degrading. I have lost 90 of the fur on my body and my face is returning to be human in appearance. I still have enlarged canines and my overall size hasn't changed. During a painful Friday evening my knees reverted by twisting and popping back into bending forward again. Aside from the burning feeling from the adamantium stretching around my shaping skull nothing else has really shifted and I hope nothing else will. I went through this once and I don't wan to go through this again. It was then by sheer luck that on Monday afternoon, Hank walked through my door and was holding a syringe.

"Please tell me that is what I think it is," It told him chuckling a little bit.

"Well I can't guarantee anything but it worked in the lab and hopefully on you," he replied inserting it into my I.V. drip.

"Ok, we'll just have to see then," I said watching the fluid flow into my arm.

...

It has now been another week and the pain is now gone, which is good. My face is now fully back to human form except oddly enough for my ears, they have decided to remain at the top of my head just as before. I have lost all of my fur now and I have been able to get out for bed for the first time without the aid of a nurse. I was able to keep my tail and it is now starting to regrow its fur from before. Even though it was against Hank's recommendations I went out to the rehab hall in the hospital and decided to use their equipment. I was pleased to find that all of my abilities had remained and I that I was still able to run on all fours. After doing a couple laps at the track I had found that I had developed quite a crowd. Moving to free weights, I loaded up a set of dumb bells and did a few bicep curls at 500lbs apiece. Which was nothing really, I knew that I could squat several tons and my bench press was around 3200lbs. Finishing my curls Hank walked over with his clipboard and another doctor.

"Hey there Jack, so nice of you to listen to me when I said stay in bed but from what I can see you are feeling that much better. I am proud to say we have killed the virus, there is nothing left in your blood that remotely looks like it."

"Good, the changes have stopped as well and now I can finally go home," I told them dropping the dumb bells and cracking the cement.

"I'm surprised that someone who just encountered a thing such as this would be lifting his capacity again in such a short amount of time." The doctor told me looking me over.

"Well that isn't my peak, I can lift far more than that, I was just taking it easy," I told him taking a seat on the concrete at my feet.

"Jack, this is Dr. Joseph Bowen. He is a general practitioner that enjoys helping his mutant patients. He just wants to give you a clean bill of health before we get you out of here."

"Oh, ok, even though there is nothing wrong it wouldn't hurt," I replied following him into his office.

He did the usual, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. He looked at reflexes and body fat and other stuff like that. In under an hour I was out and ready to leave the hospital. After paying the bill I left a little extra for their treatment and went out front duffle bag in hand. As I figured there was a cab waiting ready to take me home and I was relieved that it was all over.


	6. Chapter 5: Cats, Bats, Allies, and Foes

A Life Beyond Love

Chapter 5: Cats, Bats, Allies, and Foes

My whole ordeal lasted all of 2 ½ weeks and left me out of commission for a bit longer yet. I needed to reestablish old contacts due to lack of work but ironically enough the demand for my expertise grew substantially. I had thanked Patience profusely for her help with Kate and my parents as well for looking over the house. My father and Ororo decided to stay in Gotham for a while to visit, and to make sure that nothing else was going to happen. 

My father and I were enjoying a coffee one morning as Patience, Ororo, and Kate had already made their way off to the mall to go shopping. That left them out of the picture for a bit of the day to say the least. He and I were simply bullshitting about anything and everything, that was of course until he brought something unexpected.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked leaving a dumbfounded look on my face.

"What do you mean?" I questioned in return.

"You know," he said seeming to look for the right words. "I've sent the way she looks at you, and I know you know about it. You even give her shots in return; in fact you haven't been this way for years, not since before Kitty died."

"Are you suggesting Patience and I?" I asked.

"Yeah," he replied.

"We've been friends for years now I wouldn't think it would ever be more than that," I told him.

"That's the thing, it has been years. How long has Kate known her?"

"All her life, Patience has helped me since she was in diapers," I replied.

"Then who better, who better to be there for her than one of the people that know her best," he said taking a sip from his cup.

"I...I...sighI just don't know," I began.

"But I do, Ororo and I have know Patience for all of a month now, you only mentioned her before but we had never met. Since meeting her I think that there would be no one better. To be perfectly honest, a lot of our morning discussions would be either about you or Kate. Ororo and I agreed that we would talk to the both of you and maybe clear things up."

"I would hate to be in a position where it doesn't work and then we fuck up what we already have," I told him.

"I know what you mean but I don't think anything bad will happen. If you are going to sit on it then give it time and then make a decision," he replied placing his cup in the sink.

It was then that the doorbell rang. Setting my glass in the sink I made my way to the front door and opened it. Before me stood the one and only Bruce Wayne. Quickly I fixed my image inducer.

"Hello Jack, feeling better?" he asked.

"Yeah...wait, how did you...?" I began to ask.

"Wayne Enterprises provides supplies for the hospital that you happened to stay at and your ailments caused quite a stir within the staff," he explained positioning himself on his cane and removing his hat. "May I?"

"Oh sure," I said letting him in. "So you know everything then," I asked.

"I would assume so yes. At first I found it a little hard to believe, that was until I started digging. With my connections, I found birth records, military records and medals, living addresses, and info on a weapons program you were involved with..." he began as I took on an expression of disgust. "So it was true, weapon X did exist. Or does I should say."

"That was many years ago and I'm not the only one. To be honest I have no clue as to how many those people butchered in order to make more like us. But if you know of weapon X then you know my father, John Howlett."

"Yes I do but by another name...Logan is it not?" he questioned shaking my father's hand.

"Yes that it correct," he answered remaining in his seat. "What brings you to my son's humble abode?"

"Well Jack, I would still like to have you working for me," he said pulling out a sheet of paper from within his coat. "This is just a general overview of the work that you would be doing for me, mostly advertising and such more or less for the private sector and their customers."

Taking a look at it I scanned it and had to set it down, "Sorry Bruce, I can't. I know that your offer will never cross my way again but I have a small fortune stashed away right now and I have plenty to live off of, if my work is going to put me harms way then there is no use I don't want to leave my daughter fatherless in this world," I explained handing him the sheet in return.

"Well that's a shame," he replied. "But I must be off, good day to you and you Logan."

"Would you like me to call you a cab?" I asked.

"No, Terry my assistant will be waiting up front but thank you for the offer," said placing on his cap. "I have many more meetings ahead of me today, one of the many perks of being a multi billionaire."

Opening the door there was a black limo parked out front with a young boy holding the rear door open and beside him sat a very large and aggressive dog.

"Here you go Mr. Wayne," Terry said guiding him in.

"Thank you Terry," he answered. "Jack do you know that you are the luckiest man in the world?"

"No, what makes you say that Bruce?" I asked in curiosity.

"You and your father have been able to do what the rest of us cannot,"

"What's that? If you mean be tortured and experimented on, I think there are more than just us hanging around."

"You two have been able to elude the bullet of old age. I'm 57 and I look like shit compared to you. To add insult to injury your 116," he replied as I noticed Terry's jaw was hanging.

"Actually 117, but you can blame genetics for that one," I told him chuckling a bit.

He just smiled as the window rolled up and Terry got in to pull the car away. Heading back inside my father waited for me at the kitchen table.

"That was a pleasant surprise," he said.

"He seems to have that somewhat annoying and yet remarkable ability of coming and going unnoticed, almost out of nowhere," I mentioned beginning to clean up.

"I still think that you should give Patience a chance," he said to me.

Sighing, "dad I know what you mean. I know that Kate needs a mother and Patience is the only one for the job, but I don't really know how her and I will do you know," I said placing dirty dished into the dishwasher.

"I think that you two will be great for each other. There was a spark that you had when you and Kitty were together and it burned so bright, I remember when you came over all in a fluster because you two were going to have Kate and that was the happiest that I had ever seen you. It was then that evening that she had died that I didn't see it anymore and I didn't know what to do. When she and you were at the dinner I seen it again and I knew that she had brought happiness back into your life, you were you and I missed that these past ten years," he told me as memories began to flutter back and I had to get out.

"I've got to leave for a while, if I'm late getting back don't worry about me," I told him grabbing my coat from the hook and setting my inducer.

I don't know what it was but I just couldn't be in the room at that moment, it must have been what he had said about Kitty that broke me down like that. I got out on my bike and didn't care what I did or where I went as long as I left for a bit just to clear my head. My tour led me out of the cit and into the rolling hills abroad, through the forest and into the wilderness just on the edge of civilization. Looking left then right I felt an odd pull over to an area not far from where I was. It was small and secluded and surprisingly tranquil for having a large waterfall in the background. I stopped and got off my bike taking a tour, this place seemed to be everything I missed from my mountain home in Canada. Taking a seat at the base of a tree I put my head back and relaxed, then inadvertently fell asleep. God knows how long I was there, but as I looked around me something drew my eye to the waterfall. There on the rocks was a woman clad in white just looking at me, she was familiar in appearance but I couldn't make it out from the distance. It was then that she began to speak to me, it was if her voice was right in my ear yet she was so far away, oddly her voice too I found remote comfort in.

"Jack, you need not worry about me," she spoke. "What you have to do is stop waiting for me and live again. I have watched you corner you emotions and they weigh heavy on your heart. I know that you believe that you can never feel again but you have to move on, she is the one you want to be with."

It was if someone stuck then and there with a sledge, "but you can never know how much I miss you, even now it burns holes in me."

"I know it hurts, it hurts me that I can't be with you and Kate, but you have to move on. This maybe hard to hear but there is every part of Patience in Kate as there is of you. Kate means so much to her, you mean so much to her, I would have no one else," she told me as her image began to fade. "She is the one."

"Wait! Come back! Kitty!" I called but to no avail.

I sat there and began to sob, I couldn't help it. But I couldn't also help but think that she was right, I had to move on. Looking around I found that it was getting dark and I needed to get home and see everyone. Hopping back on my bike I headed back to the city and back to my home. The night wasn't dark yet because of the full moon, but it was the mid dim that lit up everything and yet it lit nothing, of course with my eyes it didn't matter anyways as I saw it all. The city was lit up as usual and as I rolled through the last corner to my home I was greeted with flashing lights, those found on emergency vehicles and police cars. It worried me even more as the mass of them were parked out front the door to my house.

"Officer, officer!" I called out as a young man in uniform approached me.

"Sir, please no closer, we have an incident," he advised.

"No, this is my home," I added.

"You're Jack Howlett?" he questioned.

"Yes, now what happened?"

"Well form what you neighbors said four men went in and left the premises with a young girl and a young woman both of which struggled. Not long later another man and woman came out the front door as services showed up, the man unharmed but the woman quite beat up," he explained looking back to his notes.

"Where is the man and woman?" I asked.

"They are being treated in the back of unit 212 that would be the one over there," he pointed to the ambulance in the distance.

"Thank you."

Rushing over I found my father with Ororo, "what happened?"

"Someone came looking for you," my father said changing bandages.

"Any ideas who?"

"I could bet you a million bucks saying it was your vampire friends again," he said finishing up.

"Fucking CHRIST! Why don't they just get the picture?"

"I don't know but I would hurry and find them because they have Patience and Kate and I don't know if they'll try and drill for information or not," he informed me as I heard my name being called from behind me.

Approaching me was Luna, the liken that I had helped back in the alley. "Now's not a good time."

"We'd like to help," she told me.

"What do you mean we?" I asked seeming intrigued.

Slowly from the shadows approached more likens and took to her side. "We."

"Not bad."

"We know where they are keeping them and we will take you there, we will be quick and silent sneaking in and sneaking out, they have quite the little army in the basement of their manor and plenty of silver nitrate to go around so we don't want to be seen," she explained.

"Son, you sure about this? Can you really trust them?" he asked.

"I think I'll be alright, you stay here and look after Ororo and I guess that I'll see you in a couple hours," I told him crawling back on my bike and following the others as they took to the roof.

We headed West out into the richer villas and mansions of the city. IT was there that we had to slow down because the likens had to take a ground route. Soon enough we came upon a long driveway were armed guards patrolled the tops of the wall, there were more than obviously needed so they must have been expecting something. Parking my bike I removed my image inducer and put it off to the side. The group of us crept up to the wall and remained quiet. The guards circled around leaving a gap that would last about two minutes, so just as a man left it was easy to cut a hole and creep on through. Staying low we covered the wall and made near the house undetected. Peering through and open window you could see the main kitchen and a doorway that appeared to lead off into a dinning room. Looking through I began to explain my plan.

"Alright, we go in and spread out. Once we have covered the main and upper floors we'll assemble in the main lobby and then proceed to the basement, alright?" I told them moving to leave as I felt a sharp prick in my back.

Turning I found Luna removing a syringe, "What the fuck was that?"

"A sedative," she began. "I'm sorry Wolf my hand was forced," she finished as my view clouded while I slipped into unconsciousness.


	7. Chapter 6: Sacrifice

A Life Beyond Love

Chapter 6: Sacrifice

My vision was blurred as the drugs wore off and I found myself fastened to a table leaving only my hands and torso exposed. They must have known about my abilities and left me in a position with no leverage. Looking around there were lights every where but no one to be found, the ceiling was insulated and sound tight while the walls appeared to be blast proof in case something exploded. The doors were a big giveaway as they were heavy in appearance and largely riveted together. Then just off to my right one of the doors swung open and two men walked in.

"Glad to see that you are awake," he told me.

"What do you want with me?" I questioned. "I've done nothing to you."

"You see that's not true, since you saved dear Luna you have become a thorn in our side. So I think that we will have to do something about that," he replied taking a scalpel from the med table off to my side.

"What are you going to do?"

"An eye for an eye my friend, and eye for an eye. You notice this room is a blast chamber and we have used it many a time to dispose of certain problems. But unfortunately we cannot kill you, someone has put a price on your head, quite a large one in fact and we decided to deliver."

"Another vampire?" I questioned.

"No, they are human," he told me. "You are going to make us quite wealthy, I believe the sum was up to 20 million."

"How nice, I'm glad I'm loved," I told him sarcastically.

"Let me remind you that they simply want you alive, they never specified in what condition," he noted holding the scalpel ever closer to my face.

He had a sadistic look wash over his face as I then knew that I was going to be here a while and this wasn't going to be fun. I winced as he began to draw the blade over the scar on my eye.

"Interesting," he muttered as the cut closed nearly as fast as he cut it. "So that's why they want you so badly, not many people have such a wonderful health plan as you do. Definitely faster than the likens, and still even faster then us."

"Who bought me?"

"Oh no one special, you'll just have to find out," he replied driving the scalpel into my shoulder and heading for the door.

"What have you done with Patience and Kate?"

"They are safe, for now. They are both quite feisty," he told me laughing. "Larz you can have your way with him, just don't kill him, you know we need the money."

"You son of a bitch!" I yelled out as he exited the room and left me with my torturer.

The door shut with a creak and a bang as the large bolt slid across fastening it into place. "Looks like I get to have some fun with you," he told me ripping the blade out.

Taking deep breaths I simply looked at him, "you know I'm going to get out of here and you'll be first on my list."

"Sure thing... shall we," he said locking my head into place on the table.

...back on the other side of the mansion...

The dark figure walked about the halls until he approached a room two large, heavy oak doors adorned its entrance as he stepped through to find a small cell and two girls inside.

"How are our guests?" he asked grinning.

"Wolf will come and get us! Your all dead men," Patience stated kicking at the bars.

"That's funny, because I don't think he'll every make it to this room."

"What make you so sure?" she asked.

"Let them out I have something to show them," he ordered as two men went to the door to retrieve them.

Fastening them together with handcuffs he marched them down the many corridors to the basement where they sat in a small viewing room. Pressing a small button steel doors on the inside of the room opened up and exposed it to the viewers on the other side.

"Larz we have some viewers, lets show them your handy work," he said through and intercom positioned no farther than three inches from the glass.

"Sure thing," he replied tilting the table up vertical.

Patience quickly covered Kate's eyes as Jack's bloodied face come into view. This Larz had completely butchered the one side of his face, removing his eye and ear and large amounts of skin revealing the adamantium coated bone underneath. Patience sat there barely able to look at him, tears streaming down her face.

"Jesus Christ, how could you do this to him?" she demanded.

"Oh it's simply really, take a knife and don't care what the outcome is. The worse the better," he replied signaling to take them back to the cell, he then went back to the intercom. "Is he still conscious?"

"He is in and out, I usually try to time it so that he is awake when I cut him. Do you want anything specific?"

"No, leave him be for a bit, his buyers will be here soon enough," he instructed as Larz removed his gloves and threw a towel over Jack's face.

Out on the edge of the mansion a long limo escorted by a cube van and a humvee in the rear approached the gates. Two officers stepped out and talked with the guard and they were allowed to enter. Proceeding slowly the vehicles made it up to the front of the mansion with no problem at all. The doors to the limos opened and four high ranking military personnel stepped out. They proceeded inside where the door was open and made their way, by escort, the head of the house.

"Where is he?" one general asked.

"In the basement, would you like to get him now and then do the payment or the other way around?" the vampire asked. "You may call me Grecian."

"Alright, let's do the payment and then we'll retrieve him," the general answered.

"Right this way."

They headed into Grecian's office, the same room where Kate and Patience were being held, the general saw them and immediately asked who they were.

"You keep humans as pets Grecian?" he asked.

"No, these two are your boy's. His daughter and wife."

"Really?" he mumbled. "How about another five million for both?"

"Seven."

"Five and three quarter."

"Six and a half,"

"Deal," the general told him as he signaled to the boys the take them back to the vehicles. "Now all I need is for you to enter a bank account number and then hit enter here on this computer then all twenty six and a half million will be yours."

"Perfect," Grecian told them as he punched in the final numbers and then it was done. "Happy doing business with you general..."

"Stryker, call me Stryker," he replied before leaving the room to get his "boy"

The mass of men made it downstairs into the basement of the building and entered the blast chamber to find Jack still strapped to the table and barely conscious. They removed the towel and gasped at what was done to him.

"Fuck for what you've done to him how can we be sure that we have the right man here?" Stryker asked Larz.

"Look," he said taking the towel and wiping away the blood to expose some of the adamantium that was grafted to his skull. "There, solid metal."

"Alright bring him down, get a stretcher, we'll need to pack this guy out," Stryker ordered as two men rushed back to the vehicles.

Larz began undoing the clamps and straps as Jack's body slumped onto his and another man's shoulders. Jack felt the movement and began to stir a bit.

"Hey Larz is that you good buddy," Jack barely squeaked out catching Larz's attention.

"Yeah, how does your face feel?" he asked chuckling.

"A lot better than your will," he said.

All of a sudden Jack whipped around grabbing Larz by the face and drove his face into the back of the upright steel table crushing it upon impact. Absolutely exhausted he slumped to his knees and passed out again.

"That's our boy alright," Stryker said as the two men rushed through the door with the stretcher.

They picked him up and walked him out placing him in the back of the van and running intravenous, along with them were Kate and Patience. The medic that was seated beside Jack began to work on him placing a heart monitor on him and doing tests.

"What are you going to do with him?" asked Patience.

"Rebuild him..."


End file.
